USL to unite with NASL

The Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps will participate in a new league run by the United States Soccer Federation.

The league announced Thursday that it will unite the United Soccer Leagues - the circuit the Whitecaps and Impact left, along with a group of dissatisfied owners -and the North American Soccer League, the new league that those angry owners had proposed.

The new 12-team league will be split into two six-team conferences with an interlocking schedule.

Both Montreal and Vancouver will play in the NASL Conference.

"Everyone was willing to compromise in the end to make sure they could meet the standard we were looking for," said USSF president Sunil Gulati.

On Dec. 30, the USSF rejected individual bids from the NASL and USL for Tier II status. The Canadian Soccer Association had previously said it wouldn't rule on the leagues until the Americans had made their decision.

Proposed franchises in New York and Atlanta were not part of the 12-team roster.

"We think the most important thing is to get the right amount of teams, others can come in later," said Gulati.

But Gulati stressed that the new agreement is a one-year deal.

"It's a holding situation to allow us to have a league for one year and get things stabilized."

The league will not have a commissioner, and all officiating and discipline will be handled by the USSF.

Ottawa has applied for a USL expansion franchise, while Edmonton was rumoured to be joining NASL to replace Vancouver in 2011 when it leaves for MLS.

Gulati and executives from USL and NASL did not address the status of those bids, but Gulati did say he felt that there are "a number of Canadian cities that could support a viable division-two setup."